Former WBC and IBF Heavyweight Champion Larry “The Easton Assassin” Holmes is 19-3. He was from Easton, PA, and his trainer Ernie Butler would take him to Muhammad Ali’s camp in Deer Lake, PA. When Holmes began his professional career, he was in Muhammad Ali’s camp with him. Promoter Don King made Ali convince Holmes to sign a contract if he changed coaches to Richie Giachetti.
In June 1978, Holmes won a split decision over Ken Norton, 40-4, to take the WBC title. Norton’s trainer, Eddie Futch, told me years later, when I was at “Smokin'” Joe Frazier’s gym in Philly, “he didn’t want a rematch because of the intensity of the fight.” Holmes was 28-0.
After three defenses, Holmes stopped Ernie Shavers, 59-7-1, in eleven rounds after being knocked out in the seventh round.
In Holmes’ eighth defense, he will face Ali, 56-3. He won every round before stopping Ali for the first time in his career in the tenth round.
Holmes faced Gerry Cooney, 25-0, and many pre-fight racial slurs, calling Cooney “The White Hope!” Cooney’s management made the mistake of fighting for him for a year after destroying Norton. Holmes stopped Cooney in the thirteenth round.
Holmes met Philly “Terrible” Tim Witherspoon, 15-0, who also split with Ali in Deer Lake. It was in May 1983 that he won a split decision against Witherspoon, going 43-0.
Two fights later, Holmes faced the son of former champion “Smokin” Joe Frazier, Marvis, 10-0, in a non-title fight since he was unranked. Holmes stopped him at the end of the first round, reaching 45-0. After the fight, he said, “Those whips your father gave me in the gym!”
Two wins later, he beat Carl “Truth” Williams, 16-0, which I felt was controversial, even though the scores didn’t show it.
Holmes was now 48-0 heading into his next fight against Light Heavyweight champion Michael Spinks, 27-0. It was Ring Magazine’s 1975 ‘Upset of the Year’ when Holmes suffered his first one-round loss on two cards. I heard that Spinks won the last round to take a decision, making him the first heavyweight champion to win a heavyweight title. After the fight, Holmes said, “Marciano couldn’t wear my jockstrap!”
Holmes lost a split decision in the rematch, and I felt like he was robbed. In his next fight, he faced “Iron” Mike Tyson, 32-0. I remember the current US President Donald J. Trump sitting next to Ali when Ali was introduced to the ring. He clicked on Holmes’ gloves, saying nothing. Then he walked over to Tyson and whispered something in his ear. “Take him out?”
After taking one of the first three rounds on two cards, Holmes was knocked down three times by future world champion Tyson, landing on his back. After the fight, Holmes said, “I got my arm on the ropes!”
Six fights later, Holmes would defeat Ray “Merciless” Mercer, who had just won the WBO title, 18-0, who vacated the title before the fight, stripping Holmes of the WBO title.
In Holmes’ next fight he lost to IBF, WBA, and WBC champion Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield, 27-0. He would go on to win his next seven fights before losing to WBC champion Oliver “The Atomic Bull” McCall, 25-5.
After winning his next five fights, he would lose a split decision to Denmark’s “Super” Brian Nielsen, 31-0, who later in his career was 49-0 at the time of the loss. After winning his next three fights, Holmes would end his career with a final round exit before defeating Eric “Butterbean” Esch, 65-2-3, 65-2-3. His final record is 69-6 with 44 strikeouts.
I believe Holmes was one of the ten heavyweight champions, but he was only the champion in the ring. Now you decide, “How good was Larry “The Easton Assassin” Holmes?”
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